V
Vella Lavella

Early in the morning of 18 September the convoy approached Vella Lavella. At 0700 hours the first wave of landing barges headed for the shore. Lieutenant-Colonel Shirer, who had proceeded with an advanced party, met headquarters company page 72at Maravari Village disembarkation point. Here a temporary ADS was established. An unloading party remained at the beachhead under the RQMS, Sergeant-Major Bill Walker, while the remainder of the company set off for the camp area some two miles up the coast. A company, after landing in record time, was promptly re-embarked with all equipment, as their LCI had mistaken the correct landing point. Their second disembarkation at Uzamba Village was uneventful.

Headquarters area, where a hospital was to be established, was situated in the centre of an abandoned coconut plantation owned, prior to the Japanese occupation, by one of the few white residents and known as Gill's Plantation, Joroveto. A company had established a temporary camp on the coast about four miles south of headquarters, and was to remain in a state of readiness, prepared to move at short notice. Equipment despatched from the beach-head in trucks by the unloading party arrived during the day, after a hectic trip through the bush over a non-existent road. By the end of the first day the hospital was temporarily established, personnel tents had been erected, and., most important of all, the cookhouse had commenced to function. Air cover during the landing had proved too much for the enemy, but, later in the morning, when the convoy was already on its return journey, some enemy aircraft appeared. Bombs were dropped in the vicinity of the dumps of equipment and close to A company area, fortunately without doing any damage. Almost immediately after arrival the brigade commenced the task of eliminating the Japanese, who still remained in some force in the northern half of Vella Lavella. Two combat teams from the 35th and 37th NZ Battalions were allotted this task. Attached to each team was a section of ambulance personnel—an ADS group, consisting of two officers, 26 NZMC other ranks, and 12 ASC drivers as armed guards for stretcher parties.

For the two weeks that the action lasted we felt that we were at last playing an active part in a conflict which, up till then, had seemed all too remote. Each man had his own individual experiences, which will not soon be forgotten. Operations, in a partially blacked out native bure as a theatre, with enemy float planes overhead, caused many an anxious moment. Stretcher bearing through mangrove swamps with an average mile carry was tough work. But the unit was fortunate, suffering no casualties during the action. With Japanese land resistance overcome, on Sunday, 10 page break

Medical personnel accompanied the 30th Battalion's reconnaissance party to Nissan Island. An orderly is here shown attending men wounded in a raid. Below: Field operating theatres allowed much scope for improvisation and were remarkably well fitted out. Here is shown an operation being performed in the 22nd Field Ambulance theatre. Vella Lavella

page break

A series of Indian pattern tents raised high on poles to give added ventilation and headroom, form the wards of the 22nd Field Amhulancc hospital near Tanaheran, Nissan. This method of pitching tents was adopted by all units. These two photographs vive an excellent idea of a jungle hospital

page break

Medical supplies on Vella Lavella were stored in this American tent. Dress was varied and informal. Below: One of the cool, well-ventilated wards of the 4th General Hospital at Dumbea, Necal Quietness, the sea, a sandy beach and graceful palms made this convalescent camp at Nissan an attractive rest centre for discharged hospital patients

page break

This panoramic view of Bourail Beach shows the Kiwi Club and the fine Stretch of sand where everyone within distance enjoyed a sunbathe and a swim in perfect conditions Medical stores in New Caledonia were housed in a prefabricated wooden ware-house near Bourail; on Guadalcanal they were in a quonset hut

page 73October, 1943, Padre G. D. Falloon, MC, held a thanksgiving service at the 35th Battalion combat team's ADS, when, as the war diary laconically states, 'Adjacent positions dive-bombed by enemy aircraft during service.'

Vella Lavella, where the 22nd Field Ambulance went into action with the 14th Brigade. Light arrows represent the path of the 37th Battalion, dark arrows that of the 35^th

Meanwhile the personnel at headquarters back at Gill's Plantation had had their share of excitement too. On 25 September B company arrived from Guadalcanal in a convoy of 22 vessels. At 1300 hours the same day word was received that an page 74LST had been bombed by enemy aircraft while unloading and that casualties had been inflicted. Medical personnel were despatched to the scene, where the wounded were treated and evacuated by ambulance and truck to the MDS. Later in the same week a similar incident occurred, this time with a much heavier casualty rate. Wounded were again rushed to the hospital, where, despite continual dogfights overhead, the work did not slacken and the only break was of about one minute's duration for the purpose of watching an aerial combat of special interest. This interest was not in the fact that the Zero was sent flaming down into the sea, but that the fighter responsible was a New Zealand plane flown by a New Zealand pilot. Shortly after dark the last casualties arrived and treatment was able to be carried out in a more orderly manner. The theatre and the resuscitation tents were blacked out, and in both of them work proceeded until the early hours of the morning. Bombing continued at intervals through the night, and the orderlies, who were trying to 'special' dangerous cases in the dark, had an unenviable time. With each emergency each man in the unit worked to the limit of his capabilities and endurance, but the most pleasing feature of all was the readiness of orderlies to show initiative and to assume responsibilities when the usual authority was not available. Daylight brought a great sense of relief to everybody. Thereafter, for some days, the main duties were in the operating theatre, the giving of blood transfusions, and the nursing of wounded. By the end of a week the majority had been evacuated and preparations made for dealing with the effects of further attacks that were expected. These developed, but, owing to the mounting superiority of allied air might, all subsequent attacks, after the two incidents described above, were unsuccessful.

By the middle of October life was once more a normal routine. Air raids became less frequent. The hospital was kept busy attending to normal cases of sickness, of which a preponderance were skin diseases. A company established camp at Boro Village, on the northern coast of the island, and B company moved to Wataro, on the western side. Both companies were within a few hours of headquarters by barge, and a regular barge service was utilised to carry supplies and evacuate patients. Evacuation from the island itself was carried out by air transport to the 2nd NZ Casualty Clearing Station at Guadalcanal.

At this time information was received that we were to lose our commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Shirer, who was to return to New Zealand, where the shortage of medical practitioners had become acute. Throughout the 14 months Lieutenant-Colonel Shirer was in command the unbounded enthusiasm he always showed was reflected in all the unit's many activities. His associations with us were not entirely severed, however, as he was kept in close touch with our later ventures. Major Bennett assumed temporary command pending the arrival from the Treasuries of Lieutenant-Colonel F. G. Barrowclough, NZMC, on 15 November, 1943.

The five months spent on Vella Lavella were undoubtedly the most trying in the unit's experience. Recreation was organised as far as possible, but had to be restricted mainly to swimming sports, though tenakoit and basketball were popular among the more energetic. A recreation bure was built, and its opening night marked by a most successful concert staged by Major Bennett. This was a night out for Padre D. L. Francis, who, in his celebrated fireman's monologue, paid off many old scores, to the delight of all except the victims. Very close to the camp was the brigade picture theatre, so close, in fact, that the inmates of some tents could view the shows from their own 'backyard.' Visits from the Kiwi concert party and the divisional band were greatly appreciated, but in spite of all efforts, official and unofficial, organised and disorganised, the unit suffered a bad attack of boredom.

Shortly after the arrival of Lieutenant-Colonel Barrowclough Major Bennett was transferred to the 2nd NZ Convalescent Depot as commanding officer. Although Major Bennett had been with the unit only a few short months we were reluctant to lose him. However, he left one important legacy, the Larynx. As a means of creating a new interest the unit newspaper was a huge success and continued to be edited by Captain P. W. Wishart and printed weekly by Sergeant Doug Gollop until we finally returned to New Zealand. Here reproduced is an account of 'Christmas, 1943, Vella Lavella,' by a regular contributor to the Larynx, the 'Tippler':—

'… It is not my intention to rhapsodise over the incident of the festive season. My role having been anything but the detached onlooker, my memory is as hazy as yours. However, it may be worthwhile mentioning a few of the highlights just in page 76case your staying powers were not as good as mine. For there were high spirits aplenty, alcoholic and otherwise. The cooks did an, excellent job, making it obvious that the talent at least has always been there. The Kiwi concert that evening was a howling success, the onlookers being willing to be pleased by anything. The GOCs reservation sign, it is rumoured, now adorns an allied camp. Just a little return of compliments apparently. The one sustaining thought, and the only thing that has given me the strength to struggle through this article, is a rumour of a six-bottle ration for the New Year. While hard to believe it is a constant source of comfort. (Ed.—We presume "' Tippler' has now succumbed, due to the non-issue of the said comforts.)'

January, 1944, was a month of changes and activity. Captain Ferguson was transferred to No. 1 NZ Malaria Control Unit, but fortunately was not lost completely, as his new unit was stationed with the ambulance. Lieutenant R. I. R. Skelley marched in from the 24th NZ Field Ambulance, while, later in the month, Major C. L. E. L. Sheppard arrived from the 4th NZ General Hospital to become second-in-command. On 27 January A company departed for Guadalcanal, there to carry out medical services previously the responsibility of the 24th Field Ambulance. Captain Simpson was, for a short time, transferred to the casualty clearing station, but was later re-posted to us with the rank of major. He reassumed command of A company.

On 28 January, 1944, interest ran high with the departure of Captain Wishart, OC B company, and some ambulance personnel who were attached to the 30th Battalion reconnaissance party for Nissan Island. Among these members of the 22nd NZ Field Ambulance was Sergeant-Major D. Clinton, whose enthusiasm in the most trying conditions will always be remembered by B company. The reconnaissance party left Juno Bay, Vella Lavella, on 29 January in three APDs—the Waters, Dickison, and one other. After an uneventful night Bougainville was sighted the next day in the region of Empress Augusta Bay, where the marines held a beach-head with our old friends, the 37th US Army Division. The volcano in this region was erupting, and we were all impressed by the very high mountains of Bougainville. It looked a tough country.

At ten o'clock on the night of 30 January we were informed that we were off Buka, with a two-hour run to Nissan. Men page 77shouldered their equipment and stood in the dark opposite, their landing boats, conscious of the tenseness which is always felt before landing upon unknown shores against the unknown. Soon the dark, low line of Nissan emerged from the blackness. The ship hove to, boats were lowered in the rough sea, and the men scrambled down the rope nets into them. Several were injured to the extent of fractured legs in getting into the bucking boats and were returned to the ship. The boats formed up in line and followed the two MTBs (motor torpedo boats) which led into the lagoon. Relief on entering the lagoon was a real thing, because opposition at the headlands could have wrecked the whole enterprise. The first wave of four boats landed on Pokonian Plantation and signalled the rest of us in. No opposition was encountered, a beach-head was established, and the long hours before dawn were waited silently. The APDs and escorting destroyers left as soon as the landing was completed.

At dawn the patrols went off on reconnaissance in the boats. One boat spotted two Japanese barges drawn under the banyan tree and went in to investigate. Such curiosity was met with a hail of machinegun fire from a position above the barges and from Japs in the branches of the tree. The boat was lucky to get out from the beach with only its coxswain and gunners dead and about 12 wounded. The boat bucked into our beach with the Americans yelling 'Medics, Medics!' and the casualties were on our hands. The shambles in the boat showed us what a machinegun can do at 20 yards range.

When the remaining boats came back to our beach-head after a successful reconnaissance a little 'Nip' hunting was considered in order, so all the boats went out to 'shoot up' the one known position, which was near enough and which had been softened up previously by mortar fire. While the boys in the boats were standing off the position machinegunning it, eight enemy Zeros came over in formation, peeled off, and began dropping 100-pound bombs and strafing the boats. A few bombs fell near our beach-head, but most of them were aimed at the boats, which were now all engaged in frenzied evasive action. Those on the beach-head watched the show with extreme interest, not untinged with anxiety, lest boats should be lost, leaving them stranded on hostile shores. At last the Zeros called it a day and made off back to Rabaul, leaving our boats to come in with their casualties.

As soon as darkness fell we boarded the boats once more and lay under the shelter of a coral bank along from Pokonian Beach and waited a long, long wait for the midnight rendezvous with the APDs. It was known that Japs were a few hundred yards away, so patrols had to land to intercept any grenade throwers. Enemy reconnaissance bombers were over us for a time, but no bombs were dropped, and, at midnight, we made for the lagoon entrance and bucked our way out to the waiting APDs, whose friendly dark shapes meant safety and home. The return trip was uneventful, and our few casualties arrived back in Vella in good shape.

We heaved sighs of relief when, in February, unmistakable signs of activity in the vicinity of the orderly room and quartermaster's stores broke the news that another move was imminent. On 23 February headquarters company, together with attached ASC personnel, embarked. For a second time B company remained behind to proceed with a later wave. The convoy again consisted of small landing craft, LSTs, and destroyers—an unusual sight being the barrage balloons flown from the LSTs. After an uneventful trip the troops landed on Nissan Island, Green Island Group, on 25 February.